SPS Staff and Families,

 

This is it. My last weekly update of the 2034-2024 school year. The end of a school year. 

 

It’s a beat.  A pause before it all starts back again. A moment in the rhythm of the heart of a community that is a public school system. 

 

The familiar cadence of school days, sports, performing arts, and competitions will come again next year. And it really just changes for the summer. We’re still here. Next Monday, the book bus rolls out. On June 3, summer school’s here and we start serving breakfast, lunch, and grab and go meals. 

 

Have a great summer. We’re here if you need us.

 

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I Love Stillwater - Families

 

Families are the most important part of a community. And boy, do we have some amazing ones in this community. Parents, guardians, grandparents, and caregivers that work to partner with schools through donations of time and money, by sitting down with their kids to work on tough concepts, by having hard conversations about life, the changes of growing up, and navigating relationships. Families that cheer each other on literally and figuratively. The small town feel of Stillwater means we know each other, we see each other often, and we care about each other. 

 

We don’t spend every moment with our literal family, so finding a “family” beyond your loved ones is pretty important in life. I think we do a great job here in Stillwater of helping students learn how to find their “family.”  We have a lot they can discover. Band, Choir, Orchestra. Football, Softball, Wrestling, and more. FFA. Board Game Club, Taco Club, FCA. The kids who talk cars. SMAC. Pink Out. Young Republicans and Young Democrats. Friends that eat lunch in the same spot in front of the school every day. Theatre. Guard. Unified Partners. Gamers. Girls Who Code. So many student organizations and groups, both formal and organic.  By finding a “family” students make connections, build a support structure of their peers, make friends, and build connections with staff sponsors. They learn to communicate, they find their passions, they champion causes. Make connections that help grades and attendance and that keep students on the path to not only graduation, but success in life. 

 

In many ways all of Stillwater is a “family.” And like any family, we’re not perfect, but we’re pretty darn good. The accolades this community and school district receive prove that we’re doing things right in Stillwater. The members of the SPS family, the staff, administrators, students, parents, and other caregivers will occasionally butt heads like in most families. That’s because we all care and are passionate about our individual causes, responsibilities, and our kids. People who care about complex issues hashing things out makes a community better.

 

While a family is important to all of its members, it’s most important to, its reason for being is, and its future lies with its youngest members. Family is about kids. Nurturing them. Protecting them. Fostering their growth into adulthood. Helping them discover not just the amazing things they are and that they can do, but instilling in them a confidence that the future is bright, they’ll do more amazing things, and become even more amazing inside.

 

The many families of Stillwater do that so well, and they make some amazing kids.

 

 

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Pioneer Proud

 

• The Senior Class of 2024 - you are the last class of students I served as high school principal. You’ve done great things, you’re just getting started.

• All our champions in agriculture, academics, art, athletics.

• Every student that tied their shoes for the first time this year.

• Walter Howell - You’ve done a heck of a job these last two years. From here on out, SHS is all you, man.

• Any student who’s often overwhelmed by sound but mustered up the courage to attend their first school assembly this year.

• The students who embrace and learn from those different than them

• Our college bound Students

• Those who held each other in moments of sadness.

• Students who made smart decisions about substances, behavior, and relationships.

• Our students headed to technical schools

• Students who asked for help when they needed it

• Those committing to military service

• Administrators who lead their teams large and small to serve our students,

• Those entering the workforce

• SROs and first responders who keep us safe.

• The Pre-K Class of 2024 which will have graduates in 2036, 2037, 2038 and other years as each student progresses through school at their own pace. And that’s okay. We’re proud of you.

• Our Pioneer Pathfinders as they learn the skills they need for their life beyond the program.

• Our athletes, whether their career in sports is coming to a close or continuing on. 

• Our teachers and staff. 

• The students, teachers, staff members and families, who say this town is great, this country and world are great, and strive each day to make them all even better through acts of kindness and lifting each other up.

 

I’m so incredibly proud of this district. 

 

 

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Support Employee of the Year

Congrats to Bus Driver Gary Moffitt on being named the SPS District Support Employee of the Year!

 

 

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Book Bus

The SPS Book Bus mobile library  is nearly ready to roll out next week. It’ll run M-Th from May 20 - July 25, with a different theme each week:

• May 20 - June 6 --- “Creep into the Book Bus to Mine up a good book!"

• June 10 - 13 --- “Reading Let’s Your Mind Bloom”

• June 17 - 18 & 20 --- “Books are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get.” 

• June 24 - 27 --- “Reading is for everyone!” 

• July 1 - 3 --- “Hocus Pocus, Reading is our Focus”

  • No Book Bus on July 4th in observance of Fourth of July

• July  8 - 11 --- “Fairy Tales, Where Dreams Come True”

• July 15 - 18 --- “The Nutcracker - Christmas in July"

• July 22 - 25 --- “Dinosaurs Be A Readerosaurus - Come dig up a good Book!”

 

Find the schedule and locations at stillwaterschools.com/bookbus, and join us starting next week to check out books to take home. 

 

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Summer Meals

Our free summer meal program is back again! With free breakfast, lunch, or grab and go meals for kids up to age 18 , regardless of whether they attend public school or not. More details and a schedule at stillwaterschools.com/summer 

 

 

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Help shape Oklahoma’s education

School leaders across the state are working on a vision and a strategic action plan for Oklahoma public education. They invite you to share input and suggestions for the plan. The online exchange/survey will be open through May 31 at ossba.org/vision .

 

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Stillwater Utility Box Art Contest 

Stillwater has launched a community art initiative, and your child's art could be featured on one of the city's utility boxes! The submission period closes August 15. Learn more at stillwaterok.gov/784/Stillwater-Art-Integration .

 

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Don’t Miss - www.stillwaterschools.com/calendar 

• 5.17 - Graduation @ 7pm in Gallagher Iba Arena

• Check out summer activities at www.stillwaterschools.com/summer 

• 8.15 - First Day of School

• 9.24 - SPEF Celebration of Education

• 3.4.25 - Taste of Stillwater

 

 

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I love Stillwater,

 

Uwe Gordon
Superintendent
Stillwater Public Schools